The Road to the Vale

Five days on the road now and you've traversed into the Easterlands. The wooded foothills give way to rocky passes and deep, narrow valleys; the birch and pine to larch and ash. The Spring thaw has caused the high frosts to melt and as you enter into the vale numerous tiny waterfalls spill over high precipice and rocky thresholds. Occasionally, a tinkle and splatter from one of them spatters your face. It feels refreshing.

The Lady Elsibeth's milky pale skin is glowing in the brisk early Spring and her auburn hair is spilling out of the carriage window. Sir Axel, at the head of the sortie, apparently cannot hear the lady and so she turns to a nearer knight.

Sir Morgadáns. My lady-in-waiting tells me there is an inn on the road ahead. I would prefer we stop for the night. I cannot spend another night on the ground after being jostled around in this carriage.

Peering inside, you see the two girls -- not more than thirty winters between them -- who have accompanied the Lady Elsibeth. One has hair much like her lady, auburn that glistens a slight copper in the sunlight and the other a dirty blonde. The blonde is the fairer of the two, and mayhaps the three all. She's also the biggest nuisance. Amelia and Edyth are their names, in that order.

What do you say?

Sir Gabriel, you and Sir Edwyn are taking up the middle-rear of the marching order; near the baggage cart with the lady's belongings and supplies for the journey. You both hear the conversation and can butt in if you please.

What do you do?

At the front of the sortie, Sir Axel, you can see far below you. The rocky road is hanging off the side of the valley. The steep valley wall stretches out to your right and you can see right through most of the canopy, which will conceal the entire valley in Summer.

It'd be a treacherous fall, you think to yourself. Curse the damn Easterlings building roads like this!

It's been a quiet first few days of the journey. Is that a good omen or bad? You cannot tell.

Ahead, you see a tree has snapped and fallen from on high; a gnarled up thing and thick. It blocks the roadway.

Sir Gabriel will ride up closer to carriage next to the window "Sounds like a wonderful idea my lady, I shall inform Sir Axle of your request." and will give a slight smile and bow. Then will ride ahead next to Sir Axle "Your ward has a request to stay at the next Inn for the night."

Sir Morgadáns, probably distracted by his thoughts on Lady Gennifer, Sir Axell's sister, stares in silence at the fair ladies on the carriage and only wakes from his daydream by the galloping of Sir Gabriel's horse.

"I'm sorry m'lady, you were saying?" he asks trying to regain his knightly stance.

The tree is massive. It's one of those ancient acers, a plum maple, giving off a sweet scent.

How many men do you send off? There are good ambush spots all which ways, but notably above you. A slew of archers could rain down hell on the sortie from up there. You could send men to climb and check it out, but horses would be hard-pressed to make it up there easy.

Sir Gabriel knods in agreement "may I recommend to get the men with bows on the carriage to have them keep a look out and I will take some of the other men down there to investigate the tree." looking at Sir Axle for his approval

Alfons begins shouting orders and some of the greener men look startled. Will this be their blooding? Behind you, there is a bend that obscures your vision. Do you want to ride back that way and see if anyone follows?

Coming up the road far behind you and around the bend you see a man in thick, brown woolen robes hauling a small, two-wheeled cart. There's a burlap tarp covering the cart and his hood is up so it's hard to see his face. He doesn't seem to have noticed you yet.

Sir Gabriel will ride back to to the carriage and look at miguel and Muhammad "Prepárate" point at carriage Miguel will climb the carriage and use the luggage as cover prepare his bow Muhammad lock down the carriage with its brakes.
Then he will rides next to the carriage window "My ladies, we maybe in some danger but we will protect you with our lives my man Muhammad will be near the carriage but stay low for your safety." moves to find Sancho "You will be heading up there with Sir Axle. We suspect there to be some bowman up there, I'm counting on you to dispatch those bowman once I draw them out.Que Dios esté contigo" placing my hand on his shoulder the putting on his great helm, then turning around heading back to Sir Axle "My men are ready to fight, we are just waiting for your command."